Serbia’s Novak Djokovic celebrated a commanding victory against Australia’s Alex De Minaur during their men’s singles match on day eight of the Australian Open in Melbourne. Djokovic dominated the match, winning with a score of 6-2, 6-1, 6-2, and advanced to his 13th Australian Open quarter-final, sending a strong message about his form despite concerns regarding his hamstring. The Serbian player, who had his left thigh heavily strapped, completed the match in just 2 hours and 6 minutes, moving closer to securing his 10th title at Melbourne Park and his 22nd major crown.
In the quarter-finals, Djokovic is set to face fifth seed Andrey Rublev, who defeated Danish teenager Holger Rune in a tense five-set match on the same court. Djokovic expressed his desire to win in straight sets, acknowledging the unpredictability of matches. He noted, “I thought the first four or five games were quite close, but after one break in the first set, I felt free to go through the ball and be more aggressive. I played the best match of this year so far.” This victory marked Djokovic’s 13th quarter-final appearance in Melbourne, placing him fourth on the all-time list behind Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and John Newcombe. Overall, it was his 54th Grand Slam quarter-final, second only to the retired Federer’s 58.
De Minaur, who had previously achieved his first victory against a top-five player in November by defeating Daniil Medvedev at the Paris Masters, faced a challenging match against Djokovic. The Serbian has not lost in Melbourne since 2018, having missed the tournament in 2022, and he has now won 25 consecutive matches at the Australian Open. Djokovic consistently outperformed De Minaur, breaking his serve to love in the sixth game and consolidating his lead without dropping a point for a 5-2 advantage. With De Minaur struggling under pressure, he sent a baseline forehand long, allowing Djokovic to secure another break and take the first set in just 35 minutes.
Throughout the match, De Minaur’s first serve percentage was only 54%, compared to Djokovic’s impressive 76%. The winners were overwhelmingly in favor of Djokovic, with a ratio of 9-1. Although De Minaur won the sixth game of the second set, ending a streak of nine consecutive losses, it was a fleeting moment of relief. Djokovic stretched his hamstring during the changeover and quickly applied pressure again, breaking De Minaur’s serve in the third set, effectively sealing the match.
Comments are closed for this story.